For most homeowners, the lawn is the crown jewel of their homes. After all, it is the first part of the home that would greet them and their guests. A beautiful lawn brings about good vibes to guests. Walking barefoot along the fresh, green grass relieves our stress and worries for the day. The cool winds blowing in your face, the sounds of chirping birds, are all part of the experience. First impressions last, so they say.
Lawns are not just for aesthetics. A thick lawn that is brimming with good health is good for the environment in so many ways. If we are kind to our lawn, it will be kind to us as well. Some people find it hard work but also find that the investment in time, money, and effort is all worth it.
How Do Lawns Benefit The Environment
The lawn grass helps clean the environment by trapping carbon dioxide in the air and turns it into clean, breathable oxygen. This is very important because too much carbon dioxide leads to environmental dangers like elevated temperatures. Elevated temperatures are high health risks, and may cause higher risks of stroke and worsening of other illnesses. It would also make work outdoors dangerous, especially farmers and construction workers. Carbon dioxide also contributes to the deterioration in air quality. The World Health Organization has declared air pollution as “the world’s largest single environmental health risk”. Reducing air pollution will definitely save the lives of millions. This is not to say one single lawn will eradicate all these problems, but it certainly helps in its own little way, as the grass not only helps trap the harmful gases but the dirt to keep it away from your lungs.
Lawns are helpful in improving the soil structure. Compact soil does not allow water to sink in. Groundwater, thus, does not get refilled even when it rains. Grass also keeps the soil loose, allowing it to absorb more water.
Lawns also reduce noise pollution. Compared to houses without lawns, where most are made up of hard surfaces wherein noise can bounce off, the grass acts as a sound barrier, absorbing the noise coming from other people, vehicles, and animals.
Having a lawn also helps you feel cooler. If you have noticed, urban areas tend to be warmer because of the concrete that tends to turn the area into one big oven. A place with grass and trees cools the environment.
It also contributes to home security. Fewer opportunities for intruders to hide as it allows high visibility zones that can deter potential intruders. Lawns also help reduce fire hazard because it can serve as a firebreak.
Lawns also give you a perfect place to spend your lazy Sunday afternoon in. You can go out to read a book, listen to music, have a picnic, or call your friends for a barbecue party. When you feel stressed out, just go out to the lawn and walk barefoot. You will surely feel refreshed.
And of course, people love houses with beautiful lawns. That increases the value of the property if the homeowner decides to sell it.
The Cons Of Having A Lawn
That being said, not all people are sold on having a lawn. Despite its benefits, naysayers believe lawns are not environment-friendly. We are talking about some of the environmentalists here. Who would have thought, then, that lawns can be so controversial? Let us find out what they have to say.
Some people identified as being environmentalists are worried about the negative effects of the equipment being used to care for lawns. The Environmental Protection Agency says that studies have shown that a lawnmower running for an hour emits the same amount of air pollutants as 40 brand new cars, releases hydrocarbons equivalent to that of an SUV that has run a total of 23,000 miles, and can contribute 90 times more than the smog-forming emissions of a 2006 model automobile.
Lawn care may also put a strain on the water supply. Lawn owners use up plenty of water in caring for it. If you are still just planning to have one, get ready to use up lots of water. To ensure that the grass would be healthy, it would need 1 to 1.5 inches of water every week. Be sure to pray for lots of rain to make up for it.
Gas lawnmowers can also endanger a person’s hearing. It runs at 100 decibels, more than a human can safely tolerate.
Having compared both the pros and cons, I still believe that the benefits of having a healthy lawn far outweigh the cons. It is just a matter of caring for it.
Caring For Your Lawn
Having a beautiful and healthy is like having a pet, you would have to take care of it, and taking care of a lawn takes a lot of hard work and time. All the effort would be well worth it though. Now that summer is almost over and we are well on our way to fall, it is time to go down and dirty. Here is a guide on how you can have a healthy lawn.
Your soil must be healthy. The most important thing is that a lawn needs soil that has a very good texture. Soil that has a good mixture of clay, silt, and sand is the most favorable. Be sure to fertilize the soil by making periodic improvements like adding manure, compost, or grass clippings. Lawns need more phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium than what is found in the soil. During early spring, fertilize twice., then fertilize once in the fall. Checking the soil’s pH is also important; it should have a pH of 6.5 up to 7 so that the grass can absorb nutrients better.
Choose the right type of grass, one that suits the weather in your location and of course your needs. Remember that not all grasses are created the same. They have varying requirements for water, climate, tolerance of pests, and the degree of wear it can withstand. Find out what type of grass you have; is it a cool-season turfgrass or a warm-season turfgrass.
Mow your lawn high and often and ensure that you use sharp blades. This produces stronger and healthier grass. The ideal length would be 2½ to 3½ inches. Longer grass covers up the soil better and will make it retain moisture, making it cooler in the surroundings and preventing weeds to grow. Longer grass can take in more sunlight, allowing it to grow thicker and develop a deeper root system. Using sharp blades will prevent tearing and injuring of the grass. For a more efficient lawn mower, drain old gas that has been stuck in the lawnmower since its last use. When do you stop mowing? When the grass stops growing, then that is when you stop mowing.
Lawns need water. Lawns are always thirsty for water. They need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water each week. Watering the lawn can be either from the rain or from irrigation. Water your lawn weekly. Try as much as possible to avoid water wastage. Properly watering the lawn helps grow deep roots and makes the lawn. If you see the grass starting to wilt, then it is time to water the lawn.
The presence of weeds certainly takes the joy out of the lawn. Watering and fertilizing the grass properly helps to eliminate weeds. In the early spring, put herbicide, plus spot treatments as needed during the summer. This will certainly keep your lawn weed-free. This would only take half an hour.
Be vigilant of the outdoor pests as well. Pests like mosquitoes, flies, rats, cockroaches, wasps, and other animals are not only a nuisance but can also be health risks as well. Make sure your surroundings are clean. Regularly throw garbage and put a lid on your garbage bins. Remove items that can store standing water. Remove dead wood and leaves so that pests like venomous spiders would not have many places to hide.
Why not try Go-Forth Home Services for your lawn care needs? Go-Forth Home Services, the pest exterminator, not only gets rid of indoor and outdoor pests, but we also take good care of your lawn.
At Go-Forth, we take care of your lawn pests. We also fertilize, feed, and treat your lawn to make sure your grass is green, happy, and lively! We also aerate lawns so that water, air, and other nutrients get into the soil. This, in turn, will help the roots to grow and produce a green lawn.
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned commercial service solutions provider of modern pest control services and techniques, using the latest and most advanced technology in the business, making our service to you more efficient, safer, and more convenient. We have a bug exterminator who can provide the best pest control services to residents and business establishments all throughout North and South Carolina.